Beady Eye – Commodore Ballroom – November 29, 2011
Controversy often helps sell tickets and generate interest but if there’s nothing to back it up the audience won’t come back. With the curiosity of seeing the first show of Beady Eye’s first North American tour, Vancouver’s Commodore Ballroom was busy in anticipation.
While Beady Eye may sound a bit like and consist of four-fifths of Oasis (guitarists Andy Bell & Gem Archer plus drummer Chris Sharrock make the other former members), there is a marked difference in the man who fronts both bands. Liam Gallagher has come to life, never in the all the gigs I’ve seen by his former band have I seen or heard him so interactive and gregarious. Chatting and joking with the crowd like never before, moving around the stage, shaking hands, signing autographs and even a little dancing all added to this new personality of Beady Eye. His sweat dampened duffle coat telling the tale of a man giving his all to a performance.
Besides the seemingly new found enthusiasm for performing, the songs kept the audience enthralled and entertained. With just one album, “Different Gear, Still Speeding” to their name, the band still managed to perform nearly 90 minutes that passed by all too quickly.
The audience sang along, danced, arms in the air with the happy realization that Beady Eye are the positive next step in the evolution of Liam Gallagher.
If you want to witness this evolution for yourself, Beady Eye are touring North America through into December:
02/12 San Francisco – The Warfield
03/12 Los Angeles – Wiltern Theatre
05/12 Minneapolis – First Avenue
06/12 Milwaukee – The Rave Ballroom
08/12 Washington – 9:30 Club
09/12 New York – Terminal 5
10/12 Boston – House of Blues